US2385717A

US2385717A - Folding table leg

Info

Publication number: US2385717A
Application number: US501083A
Authority: US
Inventors: Elinor H Mayer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1943-09-03
Filing date: 1943-09-03
Publication date: 1945-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1962-09-25

Description

sept. 25, 194s.

E. H. MAYER FOLDING TABLE LEG4 a f 1h 515mm. /6 ma INVENTOR Zarza/Ji @er Patented Sept. 25, 1945 UNITED PATENT OFFICE FOLDING TABLE LEG Y Elinor H. Mayer, Sarasota, Fla.

Application September 3, v1943', Serial No. 501,083k

9 Claims.

My invention relates to what are commonly called folding tables i. e. ltables having legs which are so connected to the top frame that they can be folded compact-,1y against'the top 'in' one position for storage and shipment and readpable of withstanding rough treatment without damage. o

Another object is to provide a construction which places a minimum strain upon the table top.

Another object is to provide a construction' which can be readily applied to conventional table top frames.

The preferred-form of the device includes (a) a bracket which affords a hinge support for the leg and a hinge support for (b) a swinging link which connects lthe leg Ato the bracket, (c) a spring pressed latch hinged tol the leg` and adaptedl to interlock with the link and (d) a stop plate carried by the leg andv abutting against thebracket when the leg is extended. 'I'he bracket is adapted to be secured within the frame of the table top so that the leg when folded up lies alongside of one side of the frame beneaththe top. The base of the latch and the stop plate may be formed of a single piece of metal. Fig. 1 is a vertical sectionalview ofa fragment of a table top and showing aside view of a leg connected to the-frame and extended in the position for use. Y

. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken looking toward the right side of the leg of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but with the l additional support for'the plate.

The wooden leg I4 has a hinge plate I5 secured to it by screws I 6 and hinged to the pin I'I. 'I'he hinge or loop portion of said plate is preferably located at the end ofthe leg thereby affording A link or locking bar I8 is hinged at I9 to an extension lug 20 at a lower corner of the bracket.y Ther other end of the link I8 has a slot 2I` in which slides a pin or screw 22 carried by the leg I4.

The rlatch 23' is hinged to a plate 24 which is secured to the leg by one or more screws 25, This latch is pressed by springs 26 toward the link I8 and has a projecting lug 21 adapted to engage andhold the link I8. In the folded position this lug extends into the slot 2| as shown in Fig. 3 and in the extended position it projects alongside the link as shown in Fig. 1 to hold the leg extended.

The latch has a suitable finger piece 28 by which it may be actuated to release the lug from the link. vA spring 29 may be secured to the leg in position to engageV the underside of the table top so as to tend to force the leg toward the extended position when the latch is released.

The plate 30y secured to the leg by screws 3| has lugs or shoulders 32 adapted to abut against the lower-end 33 of the bracket when the leg isfully extended. v

`It will be noted-that the stress applied to the lug- 21Il`when attempt is made to extendit from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig, 1 is in a direction longitudinal of the link I8 and edgewise tothe lug il` and the latch 23. I therefore preferito provide anges 34 to reinforce the plate 24- and support the latch. It will also be noted that the stress applied to the lug 21 when attempting to fold the* leg from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 3 -is in a direction at substantially right anglesfto that above mentioned. Actuallycthev two functions are `performed by two different parts of the lug 211.- In fact there mightv be two separatellugs', one to hold the legfolded and the other to hold the leg extended. v l

The hinge plate I5 and a portion of the supporting plate 30 are shaped to t between the spaced side walls of the bracket I0 when the leg is in extended position; that is, the side edges of the plate I5 slidably engage and contact the inner surfaces of the bracket walls as viewed in Fig- 2, and the side edges of the portion of plate 30 above the lugs 32 slidably engage the inner surfaces of said bracket walls adjacent the bottom thereof and are in contact with the corners of said bracket walls when in operative position.

By reason of this construction, a rigid metal-tometal support is afforded, and at'the same time Y jamming of the Wooden leg between the bracket Walls caused by expansion'of the Wood is prevented.

frame of the table, a leg hinged to the bracket,`

a locking 'bar hinged to the bracket and having a pin and slot sliding connection With the 1eg,

and a latch hinged to the leg and having proajecting means interlocking with the locking barV-` in the folded position of the leg'and iny its exl vp 15 tended position.

2. A table leg hinge construction*comprising` a socket type bracket for attachment-to the top frame of the table, a leg hinged tothe bracket,

a locking bar hinged to the bracket and having a pin and slot sliding connection with the leg, 'a Vl'atchhirlged t0 the leg and"havin'g"'pr`o jectingA means interlocking Withthe locking bar inthe Yfolded position of the leg and in its extended'position and separate spring means for pressing the latch against the 'locking' bar.

i 3. A table leg hinge construction comprisingv a socket type bracket Vfoi' attachment to thetcp frameY of the table, a leghingedto the bracket, a locking bar hinged tothe bracket and having a sliding connection with the leg, a latch hinged to the leg and having projecting means interlocking-with the dlocking banin the folded lposition andV in the extended position anda stop platey carried by the leg abutting against thev bracket in the extended positionof the leg.Y i

4. A table leg hinge construction comprising al bracket forattachment to the Vtop frame of the tablesaid bracket having spaced parallel walls forming aY socket, a leguhinged teVV the bracket,v a locking bar hinged/to the bracket and'extending along theleg and having a pin and slot sliding connection with Vthe leg',Y a.v support-(secured to the' leg,V a latch hinged to the support and having projecting means interlocking v vith ythe locking' bar in the folded `position and in theextended` position and` a ,Stop Carried bythe support abutting-against the bracket when the leg', isrextended. Y

. 5. A table leg hinge construction a bracket forjuattachment tothetop frame ofthe '2,385,717 fr j g c the top and means for holding the leg in upright and folded positions consisting of a locking bar hingedly secured at one end to the bracket and slidably secured at its other end to the leg and a springrpressed latch adapted to engage said locking ybar in both positions of the leg.

7. A table comprising a top, a' plurality of legs Y for supporting said top, a hinge connection between each leg and the Ytop including a bracket secured tothe top, a hinge plate secured to the leg and hingedly connected'to the bracket adjavcent said top and means for holding the leg in upright and folded positions consisting of a locking bar hingedly secured at one end to the bracket and slidably secured at its other end to the leg,

a--spring pressed latch adapted to engage said table, said bracket having spacedv parallel Wallsv forming a socket, a leg hingedtothe brackets.V locking bar hingedr to the bracket and extending along the leg and having a pin `and slot sliding connection with the Vleg and a latchk hinged to the leg and carrying asingle lug interlocking with the locking bar in thefolded position of the leg and in its extended position.,

A6; Awtable comprising a top, a plurality of legsfor supporting said top, ahingeconnectionbe" tweengeach leg and lthe top includinga bracket securedfto Vthe top, `a hinge platek secured to thev leg and hingedly connected to bracket adjacent locking bar in y,both lpositions of the leg Vand a and' adjacent the top when the leg is in upright position forreleasing the holding mechanism. v

8. `A table comprising a top, a. plurality. of'legs for supporting's'aid top, a hinge connectionibetween each leg and the top including a' bracket secured to thel top, ahinge'platesecuredto the leg and hingedly connected tothe bracket adjacent said top and means lfor holding the ,leg in upright and folded positions consisting of a locking,Y bar extending along said legY and hingedly secredf at one end tolthebr'acket andV slidably secured'a't its 'other' end to the leg', aspring pressed latch having a lug adaptedV to engage said locking. bar in both positions of the leg, .a finger piece on the latch positioned adjacent the top whenr the e leg ism/upright position for releasingthe vvholding means and a separate spring betweerr the` frame" Dertien formihg' siolrlers,v a bracket .fas-

tened to said'rame portion within the confines thereof ateach corner and provided vvithspaced parallel Walls forming `a socket portion( a leg member hinged to said bracket and having its hinge line positioned within said socket portion, a 45 iirst-named platea projectinglug on said latch-y ing plate,av finger piece on said latching'rplate andrforming an extension thereof and being posi-- -tioned adjacent the/lower edge pf the frame portionjwhen the leg is in extended position, ja, lockv ing-barghinged atone end to ,said Vbracket and having a slot slidably connectedto the pin on said leg, Ysaid .locking bar and hinged latch being so pcsitioned relatively ythat the projecting lueY on said latch 'engagesgthe edge of,said4 bar when v the leg is in extended position and engagesthe coV